"During the day, the trading city is bustling and never quiet.
Together with a trader, Skafael lifts crates filled with fruits onto the truck bed.
"Phew, done," Skafael says in relief.
While counting all the crates again, the trader also calculates the price of the goods Skafael bought.
"The total is 100,000," he says after finishing the calculation.
Using a device similar to a mobile phone, Skafael scans the provided barcode.
A "beep" sounds, indicating the transaction is successful.
"Alright, time to head back."
After securing the tarpaulin to cover the truck bed, Skafael gets in, starts the engine, and leaves the city. His task only to buy the fruits ordered by his colleague is almost complete.
Only after passing the checkpoint will it be considered fully done.
Outside, a long road stretches ahead, but on both sides lies nothing but an extremely hot desert under the midday sun.
But of course, Skafael is used to this. The truck is equipped with a fan spinning rapidly to blow air.
There is also a cooler box filled with plenty of cold water, so there's no need to worry about overheating or dehydration.
The vehicle travels at around 50 km/h—nothing to worry about, as this road is usually quiet during the day since no one wants to endure the heat.
But for Skafael, it's different. It has been a long time since he drove at what he considers a slow speed.
Even so, he feels a strong sense of calm and nostalgia as he drives like this.
Honestly, he himself doesn't understand what's going on. Five months ago, he woke up in the middle of this desert.
Even though Skafael clearly remembers that he should have been dead, he instead woke up in an unknown world.
Besides, his body is no longer his original one—though it looks exactly like he did in the past—and his memories are muddled but not lost.
At least that's how fate played out. Now, with the help of someone he considers a colleague, he can work and adapt to this world.
Although learning the language was the most annoying part. But putting that frustration aside, Skafael has gone through this many times before.
In just 4 months of studying, he can now speak like a native.
Now, Skafael works at Hydra Commission—a one-stop commission-based company.
Focusing on any task that can be done, Hydra Commission will handle it.
But there's a special difference about Skafael: he doesn't work as an employee receiving commissions, but rather as a partner collaborating with the head of Hydra Commission.
That's why he calls him a colleague and not a boss.
....
Far ahead
Several black vans are seen stopped on the road in front of another vehicle that is broken down and emitting smoke from its front, which has caught fire.
Two women get out just before the flames engulf the inside of their car.
They look disheveled, both injured, and one appears weak as she is supported by her friend.
Men dressed in black—matching hats and sunglasses included—get out of the black vans.
They are armed with firearms, which they point at the two women without hesitation.
The red-haired woman Yaksha, Cao Ling, can only growl in anger at the situation she faces this time.
Glancing at her friend—a dragon woman—she doubts they can both survive.
But from afar, the sound of a vehicle engine can be heard.
No mistake—that's the car driven by Skafael.
When the pickup truck comes into view, Cao Ling herself doesn't know what to say, as it seems another person is having bad luck today.
It never crosses her mind that this could be a way out.
Some of the men in black turn to look at the vehicle. They haven't taken action yet.
....
In the pickup truck
Skafael is driving while humming, resting his head on one hand. Seeing smoke rising into the sky, he mutters, "Who's burning trash again?"
Not long after, something comes into view ahead:
The black vans are stopped in the middle of the road, with people getting out of them.
"Damn crazy people—who stops their car in the middle of such a hot road?" he grumbles in annoyance. "Did all their tires go flat?" he adds.
He presses the brakes, slowing the car gradually before stopping.
But instead of getting out to ask what's wrong, Skafael immediately starts honking the horn continuously.
In a steady rhythm, he keeps honking, telling them to move their vans out of the way.
Cao Ling is suddenly confused by what Skafael is doing.
"Can't he see the situation? "Honking recklessly like those people at traffic lights who honk the moment it turns green to make the vehicles in front move.
But that can't be—he'll be asking for trouble, Cao Ling thinks.
Bullets suddenly fly toward the car window.
But the bullets are no match for the bulletproof glass.
"Damn it," he mutters, honking the horn again.
One of the men then walks closer and knocks on the car window.
As soon as the window is opened, a bullet flies in and hits Skafael.
Along with the fully open window, Skafael's head jolts back.
As soon as this happens, the man turns to leave—but suddenly, a blade pierces through his neck.
The blade glows yellow and appears to be made of ancient calligraphic characters.
They are all shocked to see it.
From inside the car, Skafael sticks his head out of the window.
As he pulls out the sharp blade, blood gushes out, and the man collapses to the ground instantly.
The car door opens, and Skafael steps out.
A cut is visible on his forehead—the bullet didn't penetrate his skull, only leaving a gash.
Their attention now shifts to Skafael. All of them point their guns at him.
Cao Ling can only stare blankly at what's happening—she truly didn't see this coming.
"Who are you?" asks one of the men in black.
Glancing at the man who asked, Skafael doesn't answer right away—instead, he flips him off.
"You don't need to know," he replies.
Right after he says this, the man gets angry and immediately orders his companions to shoot.
"Shoot!" he shouts.
Dozens of bullets fly quickly toward Skafael—but dozens of long yellow-glowing bamboo slips appear to shield him from the barrage.
The clinking sound fades away as not a single bullet manages to hit Skafael.
They are all stunned to see this. Unwilling to believe what they just witnessed, they continue firing.
But it's the same—the slips protect him.
Raising his hand, Skafael controls the slips, which split into smaller pieces that fly swiftly to pierce through all of them.
No screams escape their mouths—the slips pierce their heads quickly before vanishing like yellow dust in the air.
Their lifeless bodies collapse to the ground immediately, blood pooling rapidly.
Sighing, Skafael is about to get back in the car when his attention briefly shifts to the two injured women.
He has no obligation to help them; after all, it's as if he already helped them escape from those people.
Just as he is about to get back into the vehicle, the woman suddenly calls out:
"Wait!"